[CapitalistCartr]

When the constitution was written, repeating rifles existed. Lewis and Clark took one on their famous expedition.[0] Owning cannons was legal, and people did. During the American Civil War, wealthy men outfitted their own company of men and led them. American history has some crazy stuff in it. Private ship owners acting as privateers, for instance. My (lawyer) wife dearly wants a "letter of marque"[1] ever since she found out what they are in maritime law class.

0: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girandoni_air_rifle

1: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_of_marque

[maxerickson]

A curiosity that was also cutting edge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girandoni_air_rifle

It seems to have taken to ~1850 for practical military repeating rifles.

edit: Your comment is still young, but I'll note for history that I replied with the wiki link before you had added it to your comment.

[CapitalistCartr]

Yeah, thank you. It took me a bit to get there. My Google-fu is weak today. I need mind-linked cyber-Google . .